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President Cyril Ramaphosa has emerged from the African National Congress’ 55th conference more confident and he has managed to tighten his grip on power. Instead of hostile members of the RET faction, that were hampering his drive to clean up corruption, the majority of members in the Top 7 of the ANC of the organisation, are now allies of Mr Ramaphosa. In his closing speech the president said the ANC was able to pull back and managed to prove to those that said the ANC will stumble forever, that they were wrong. He re-commited himself to cleaning up government and his party and said the 55th conference which will conclude in hybrid in January have ‘united’ the ANC. But will Mr Ramaphosa be able to abandon his cautious style and speed up the economic reforms he has repeatedly promised and can we expect a Cabinet reshuffle in the New Year. Prof Theo Venter told Biznews that he was expecting a Cabinet reshuffle in the New Year with several Minister being dropped. and, that the Phala Phala investigation will with Ramaphosa firmly back as ANC President, “slowly but surely wither away.

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The ruling ANC has elected its top 7 officials, with President Cyril Ramaphosa being given the top position again with a bigger margin than he had achieved in 2017. His appointment has been welcomed by financial markets with the local currency strengthening against the dollar, pound and euro. Mteto Nyati, who is currently the CEO of BSG, a business and technology consulting company told BizNews he welcomed the continuity, stability and policy certainty that the re-election of President Ramaphosa is brought about. A change at presidential level within the ANC, he said, could have have destabilised the efforts that have kind of being driven to turn around or recover Eskom. – Linda van Tilburg

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With 17 000 trucks now on its platform, Linebooker’s momentum continued to accelerate helped by its system’s smooth management during SA’s peak freight moving quarter. CEO and co-founder Naude Rademan explains to Alec Hogg of BizNews that month-on-month growth accelerating from 10% to 20%, the “Uber for trucks” has proved to be fully scalable - with many new clients attracted in recent months as their traditional processes were disrupted by weather and other unique issues.

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President Cyril Ramaphosa managed to secure a second term as President of the ANC beating his rival Zweli Mkhize with 579 votes. His slate did however not have a complete victory. The position of deputy-president went to Paul Mashatile. A Ramaphosa ally, Gwede Mantashe was re-election as chair of the ANC, while the current Minister of Transport Fikile Mbalula, who has also pledge support to Ramaphosa took the position of secretary-general. A thorn in Ramaphosa side could be Nomvula Mokonyana, who secure the position as one of the positions of first deputy secretary of the ANC. Markets reacted favourably to Mr Ramaphosa appointment with the rand strengthening and market uncertainty appears to have been eased. Dr TK Pooe from Wits’s School of Governance told Biznews that the margin in which Ramaphosa has won means he does not have any excuses any more.

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Two nominees have emerged for the top position of President of the ANC at Nasrec in Johannesburg where the party is electing its new leaders. They are President Cyril Ramaphosa and Zweli Mkhize. After a delay in balloting as the party struggled to complete the registration of more than 4,500 delegates, several candidates were nominated from the floor for what is now the top 7 of the ANC, with a new position of a second secretary-general. Prof Richard Calland, political analyst and law professor at the University of Cape Town, told BizNews that Ramaphosa and Mkize appear to be neck-and-neck in the race for President and that horse trading was taking place behind the scenes to persuade candidates not to split the votes of the Ramaphosa camp. He also gave a glimpse of what a Mkhize presidency could look like should he manage to pip Ramaphosa to the post. Calland says whoever wins: the ANC is tired and unable to grapple with the country’s challenges. – Linda van Tilburg

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Linda van Tilburg interviewed political analyst Dr Piet Croucamp about his take on the 55th ANC elective conference and reports on an interesting angle: the party is so divided and perceived as so untrustworthy by many South Africans that it may be lucky even to garner 50% of the votes in the 2024 national election. Given that realisation, ANC stalwarts realise that Ramaphosa will still be their best bet to try to prop up the ailing structure – but the threat from the alienated RET faction and Ace Magashule still remains. Read the fascinating opinions below to find out more. – Sandra Laurence

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South Africa’s 55th national conference is being closely watched from outside our shores. Chris Vandome, a senior political analyst from Chatham House in London says President Cyril Ramaphosa is generally regarded as ‘the least worst option’ and overseas leaders are, like many South Africans frustrated with his slow pace of economic reform. Vandome told BizNews the international community would like that pace to accelerate and the donors of the Just Energy Transition who have committed $8.5 billion to the project and have chosen South Africa as a test case, are keen to see a continuation of a commitment to a green energy transition. Describing Gwede Mantashe, as the ‘last stand on coal the coal industry,' he said it remained to be seen whether Mantashe still had enough support in the ANC to be politically important to President Ramaphosa.

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Embattled Western Cape High Court Judge President John Hlophe has been suspended pending impeachment proceedings against him for gross misconduct. The suspension has been welcomed by Freedom under Law (FUL) which has previously expressed serious concern that the suspension of Judge Hlope has been delayed despite complaints that go back more than 14 years. Advocate Jeremy Gauntlett who is also a KC at Brick Court Chambers told Biznews that expected that there could be more 'law fare' from the embattled High Court Judge President.

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Ranmore Funds founder Sean Peche is warning us to expect the unexpected in the New Year, offering “Surprises” that could shake up the performance of investment portfolios. Leading the pack is the warning of a 50% drop in the share prices of Apple, Amazon and Tesla - with Putin pulling out of Ukraine and European shares beating the pants off Americans also on the list. He spoke to Alec Hogg of BizNews.

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The ANC caucus in Parliament managed to ward off a rebellion against President Cyril Ramaphosa with only 5 of its members of parliament voting for the adoption of the Section 89 panel report on the Phala Phala theft that found that he may have violated the Constitution. Notably voting in favour of proceeding with impeachment was his arch-rival for top positions in the ANC, Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma. Conspicuously absent from voting was Tourism Minister Lindiwe Sisulu and the man who plans to challenge Ramaphosa for the ANC leadership, Zweli Mkhize. 

It means the obstacles have been cleared  for him to stand as president of the ANC for another 5 years when the organisation convenes at Nasrec, near Soweto for its 55th National Conference on Friday.  At his election in December 2017, Ramaphosa said he would focus on tackling corruption and that he was the unity candidate. Ramaphosa essentially made a deal to hold the ANC together, but the deal prevented him from making big decisions that he needed to make to take the country forward - and his decision to keep his friends close and his enemies closer almost cost him the presidency.  Political analyst Prof Theo Venter from the University of Johannesburg told Biznews he believes President Ramaphosa will emerge victorious to lead the ANC for a second term. Venter expects the biggest battle to be for the position of deputy president of the ANC, as the candidate would become president should Ramaphosa’s Phala Phala theft force him to fall on his sword.  - Linda van Tilburg  

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